For the second year in a row, No. 4 Texas faces the Minnesota Golden Gophers twice in the same weekend.

After a tough 3-1 loss Thursday, the Longhorns need to bring their best in order to avoid a repeat of last year, when Minnesota swept Texas 3-0 in both matches. According to head coach Jerritt Elliott, the players “come from a really solid background of volleyball,” and although they suffered a loss in four games last night, their skills were very evident on the court.

“We will get back and have been trying to mix with our lineup a little bit and haven’t had a whole lot of time to train,” Elliott said.

He said he will watch the tape and make adjustments to prepare for tonight’s game. Currently in her third season at Texas, libero Sarah Palmer said the team has “always had ups and downs, but overall it’s been a really great experience.”

The older girls on the team were able to help her adjust to the system, and now with a few years of experience, she is able to assist Kat Brooks, a freshman libero, also from Hawaii.

Having already played club together for a few years, it makes the transition a little easier for the incoming player.

Along with providing Brooks the ease of having a familiar player on the court, the coaches have also been integrating her really well, Brooks said, which fits well with Texas’ proposal to recruit top players from all over the nation.

A win against Minnesota will not be an easy one, but the Longhorns definitely stand a chance with their diverse team members and dedicated attitude.